Stephen Vogt's decisions in Game 3 didn't work out for the Guardians. Now they are threatened with elimination

DETROIT – There are management decisions that live on in infamy and others that live on in glory. There is a fine line between the two.

21-year-old Jaret Wright started in Game 7 of the 1997 World Series in place of veteran Charles Nagy. Ryan Merritt slips off his cowboy boots and takes the mound in the decisive game of the 2016 American League Championship Series. Michael Martinez replaced Coco Crisp in the outfield in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series, then ended up at the plate as history hung from his half-maroon, half-white Victus bat. Trevor Bauer took a short break in the American League Division Series a year later, despite Cleveland having a strong rotation. Aaron Civale started the deciding game of the 2022 ALDS at Yankee Stadium, a move that backfired on four batters with a powerful Giancarlo Stanton chop.

Stephen Vogt's decision to hit in the second inning and again in the third inning in Game 3 of the ALDS on Wednesday may not match the gravity of the most consequential management decisions in Cleveland's October history.

But the Guardians' approach to combating the Detroit Tigers' pitching chaos failed. And now the team that hasn't won a playoff game facing elimination since Game 6 of the 1997 World Series just 9,847 days ago is… facing elimination.

The best way to stop Detroit's Conga defensive line is simply to strike. The Guardians erupted for five runs before the Tigers recorded an out in Game 1. At this point, AJ Hinch's plan was foiled and the Guardians were able to sail to victory. But Hinch had the Guardians on defense in Game 3.

Vogt and several Guardians batters said after the loss that they were ready for an early mix-and-match, but were they ready for a change in the second inning? Hinch texted Vogt after the teams practiced at Comerica Park on Tuesday afternoon to say Keider Montero would start. Of course, he didn't reveal whether that meant Montero would pitch for three outs, three innings or for three hours. Montero didn't even know he was only going to throw one frame.

Montero pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings against Cleveland on July 8 in his third big league start.

In Game 3, he survived six pitches.

“We kind of knew they were going to do that,” Vogt said, “but we had to fight for Montero to advance.”

The Guardians fielded a left-handed lineup heavy with Kyle Manzardo batting second and Will Brennan batting seventh. Manzardo left in the first inning. That was his only attack. Brennan never dug his cleats into the batter's box.

Will Brennan, introduced as part of Cleveland's starting lineup, never took part in an offense. (David Reginek/Imagn Images)

The Tigers went to the bullpen in the second inning and the Guardians went to the craps table.

“We thought this was an opportunity to take advantage of our chance,” Vogt said. “I placed a few bets and then I just didn’t come through.”

Brennan's day consisted of an inning in which he patrolled right field in a raucous stadium. He collected the leadoff single from Parker Meadows and secured a pair of batted balls toward center fielder Lane Thomas. He then cheered his teammates on from the dugout for the rest of the game. Jhonkensy Noel, who replaced Brennan at the plate in the second inning, went 0-4.

David Fry batted for Manzardo in the third inning. He went 0-3 with two strikeouts and a lineout. All three of his attacks came with runners in scoring position.

As the game progressed, the Tigers gained the upper hand from a matchup standpoint. Twice Fry faced a right-hander, which is what the Tigers would prefer. They used six pitchers and alternated handedness each time Hinch visited the mound. Hinch said it wasn't written that way, but it worked “almost perfectly.”

“When you play from the back,” Vogt said, “the other team has the opportunity to handcuff you.” Apart from maybe a few attacks today, I felt like we had the advantage in almost every situation. We had a traffic jam. I thought we set the table great. We just didn’t manage to have a big hit.”

In Game 4, they'll have to deal with the pitching chaos again, and they're on a streak of 20 consecutive scoreless innings. Hinch noted that the Tigers can throw “a 6-foot-6 lefty to some fireball righties, to (Tyler) Holton throwing backdoor cutters, to (Beau) Brieske throwing turbo sinkers and changeups .”

Steven Kwan, a rare bright spot in the Guardians' lineup, said it “makes it difficult to get into a rhythm.” … You don’t know what his stuff is going to be like, how it’s going to move that day. You just have to get going on the spur of the moment.” Kwan had three hits Wednesday and Brayan Rocchio reached two ahead of him, but Fry and José Ramírez, the next two in the order, went hitless in six at-bats.

The Guardians' hitters lamented the lack of a timely hit and the increase in small sample sizes in the playoffs, but an 0-for-8 team performance with runners in scoring position, like those lined up in Game 3, can derail an entire season. That's how the playoffs work, which is why any managerial move can result in glory or infamy.

Now the Guardians find themselves on the brink of winter, with another dose of Tigers chaos on deck and another set of decisions for Vogt to ponder.

(Top photo: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)